Lawrence police are searching for a man who reportedly attempted to sexually assault a 5-year-old girl over the weekend in a Lawrence park.

Officers were called about 3:30 p.m. Saturday to Naismith Park. A police spokesman said the suspect lured the victim away from an 8-year-old companion and tried to fondle her.

The suspect, described as a white male in his late 20s or early 30s, lured the girl away from the boy, took off her pants and tried to fondle her, said Sgt. Mike Pattrick, a police spokesman.

Since July 2002, there have been at least four prior attempted or completed sexual assaults in Naismith Park.

Pattrick said police don’t yet know whether this is related to any previous incidents.
The suspect was described as being about 5-foot-10 with a medium build, dark hair, a blue and gray T-shirt, blue shorts and black tennis shoes.

(For more on this story, including the dangerous history of the park, see the 6News reports at 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Sunflower Broadband’s Channel 6 and pick up a copy of Tuesday’s Journal-World.)